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Top Events
- Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to a little over four years in prison after being found guilty of offenses related to prostitution involving two of his former partners. His lawyers sought a 14-month sentence, arguing that he had changed during his 13 months in a New York jail, while prosecutors sought 11 years, citing his history of domestic violence. Before being sentenced to 50 months, Combs addressed the court in what was his first public statement since the beginning of the trial.
- Taylor Swift promoted her latest album The Life Of A Showgirl with an exceptionally extensive marketing campaign that encouraged fans to discover musical clues hidden behind orange doors in 12 cities around the world.
- The British postal service Royal Mail announced the release of a special series of twelve stamps commemorating The Who's 60th anniversary. Eight stamps featured their iconic albums: My Generation (1965), Tommy (1969), Who's Next (1971), Quadrophenia (1973), Who Are You (1978), Face Dances (1981), Endless Wire (2006), and WHO (2019). Other stamps depicted the band and their live performances. The Who thus became the seventh musical act to receive their own Royal Mail stamp series, following The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, and the Spice Girls.
- The Weeknd replaced his previous hit "Can’t Feel My Face" at the top of the US chart when "The Hills" began a six-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Births
- American rock 'n' roll and rockabilly singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He became famous for songs including “Twenty Flight Rock,” “C’mon Everybody” and “Summertime Blues,” which reached No. 8 in the US in 1958; in 1960, “Three Steps To Heaven” reached No. 1 in Britain. He experimented with multitrack recording, distortion and overdubbing as early as his first singles and played guitar, piano, bass and drums. He died on April 17, 1960, at the age of 21 in a car accident while touring in Britain; songwriter Sharon Sheeley and singer Gene Vincent were also in the car and survived the crash.
- American singer and songwriter Alan O'Day was born in Hollywood, California. He became best known for his own song “Undercover Angel,” which became a million-selling hit in 1977 and reached No. 1 on the US chart. He also wrote Helen Reddy's hit “Angie Baby,” which reached No. 1 in 1974, and the song “Rock and Roll Heaven,” made famous by The Righteous Brothers. He later also contributed to the music for the animated series Muppet Babies. Alan O'Day died on May 17, 2013, at the age of 72 from cancer; contemporary reports identified it as brain cancer.
- American rock 'n' roll singer Chubby Checker, born Ernest Evans, was born in Spring Gully near Andrews, South Carolina, and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He popularized a number of dance styles, especially the Twist through the 1960 hit “The Twist,” originally recorded by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, and the Pony through his 1961 cover of “Pony Time.” His biggest UK hit was “Let's Twist Again” from 1962. “The Twist” was the first song to reach No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 twice, first in 1960 and again in 1962; this was not repeated until nearly 59 years later, when Mariah Carey's “All I Want for Christmas Is You” did so in December 2020. Chubby Checker also became famous for songs including “Limbo Rock” and “Pony Time.”
- Antonio Martinez, born Antonio “Tony” Martínez, was born on October 3, 1945, in Madrid, Spain. He was the guitarist of the group Los Bravos, which scored the international hit “Black Is Black” in 1966; the song reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 4 in the US. With the song, Los Bravos became the first Spanish rock group to have a hit single simultaneously in the UK and the US.
- American soul singer Patricia Ann Cole, known by her stage name PP Arnold, was born in Los Angeles, California. She first performed as a backing singer with the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and later established herself as a solo artist. She had several hits, including the original version of Cat Stevens' “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” and later released singles produced by Barry Gibb. As a session singer, she also worked with Eric Clapton and Roger Waters.
- American trumpeter, singer and songwriter Ben Cauley was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a founding member of the Stax group The Bar-Kays and later became known as the sole survivor of the 1967 plane crash that killed soul singer Otis Redding and four members of The Bar-Kays. Cauley died on September 21, 2015.
- American musician, guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer Lindsey Buckingham was born on October 3, 1949, in Palo Alto, California. He joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 with his then-partner Stevie Nicks and helped steer the group toward a more pop-oriented sound that led to some of its most successful albums and songs. Among the Fleetwood Mac hits he wrote and sang are “Go Your Own Way,” “Never Going Back Again,” “Tusk” and “Big Love.” The album Rumours became one of the group's most successful albums, and Buckingham later released seven solo studio albums and three live albums.
- American jazz saxophonist and flutist Ronald “Ronnie” Laws was born in Houston, Texas. He was a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, where he played tenor and soprano saxophone and flute. The group had the US No. 1 single “Shining Star” in 1975 and the UK No. 3 single “Let's Groove” in 1981.
- American guitarist Dawayne Bailey, who performed and recorded with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Véronique Sanson and Chicago.
- American musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan was born in Dallas, Texas. He was the frontman of blues-rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble and was one of the most influential guitarists in the revival of interest in blues during the 1980s. He played on six songs on David Bowie's album Let's Dance, including the title track and “China Girl.” Vaughan died on August 27, 1990, at the age of 35 in a helicopter crash. His family successfully sued the company's operator for allowing an unfit pilot to fly in fog and received $2 million in damages. In the months following his death, more than 5.5 million of his albums were sold in the US.
- Gail Greenwood, bassist of American alternative rock band Belly, which had the UK single “Feed The Tree” at No. 32 in 1993 and also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
- Robbie Jaymes of British pop group Modern Romance, which had the 1982 UK single “Best Years Of Our Lives” at No. 4. In 1983, further hits followed: “High Life” at No. 8, “Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm” at No. 14 and the ballad “Walking in the Rain” at No. 7 on the UK chart.
- Tommy Lee, born Thomas Lee Bass, was born on October 3, 1962, in Athens, Greece. He became famous as a founding member and drummer of Mötley Crüe, which had the UK single "You're All I Need" at No. 23 in 1988, while the album Dr. Feelgood reached No. 1 in the USA and No. 4 in the UK in 1989. Lee also founded the rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, pursued solo music projects, and attracted considerable media attention through his marriages to Elaine Starchuk, Heather Locklear, and Pamela Anderson, as well as conflicts with singer Vince Neil.
- Dan Miller, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter of American alternative rock group They Might Be Giants, was born in Rochester, New York. In 1990, the group had the UK hit “Birdhouse In Your Soul” at No. 6 and won two Grammy Awards – in 2002 for the song “Boss of Me” and in 2009 for the album Here Come the 123s.
- American singer and songwriter Chris Collingwood, lead singer and founding member of power pop group Fountains of Wayne, was born in Britain and grew up in Sellersville, Pennsylvania. The group had the Grammy-nominated song “Stacy's Mom” in 2003.
- Gwen Stefani was born in Fullerton, California. In 1987, she became the singer of No Doubt, a group founded by her brother Eric. In 2004, she released her first solo album, and in 2014 she became a coach on The Voice. With No Doubt, she had the UK No. 1 single “Don't Speak” in 1997, which also set a record of 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. The 1997 album Tragic Kingdom reached No. 1 in the US and sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. As a solo artist, she had the 2005 US No. 1 single “Hollaback Girl” from the album Love, Angel, Music, Baby, which was among the five best-selling albums in the world in 2004. Stefani was married to Bush singer and guitarist Gavin Rossdale and later married country musician Blake Shelton. She became best known as the frontwoman of No Doubt and subsequently for her successful solo career.
- Singer and founding member of boy band Backstreet Boys Kevin Richardson was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Backstreet Boys had the US single “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” at No. 2 in 1997 and the UK No. 1 single “I Want It That Way” in 1999.
- American musician Garrett Dutton, known by his stage name G. Love, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known as the frontman of G. Love & Special Sauce.
- American rapper, singer and actor Tariq Luqmaan Trotter, known as Black Thought, the lead MC of hip-hop group The Roots. In 2000, The Roots won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “You Got Me.” Black Thought and The Roots serve as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
- American singer, songwriter and musician India.Arie, born India Arie Simpson, was born in Denver, Colorado. In 2006, her album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship reached No. 1 on the US chart. She sold more than five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She received four Grammy Awards from a total of 23 nominations, including a Grammy for Best R&B Album.
- American singer, songwriter and musician Jake Shears, born Jason Sellards, and co-founder of Scissor Sisters, was born in Mesa, Arizona. The group's self-titled 2004 album reached No. 1 on the UK chart and became the best-selling album of 2004; all five singles from the album reached the UK Top 20. The group's second No. 1 album, Ta-Dah, produced their first UK chart-topping single, “I Don't Feel Like Dancin'.”
- Nate Wood, an instrumentalist with the group The Calling, was born.
- Irish singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and co-founder of The Script, Daniel “Danny” O’Donoghue, was born in Dublin. He previously performed in the Irish boy band Mytown and later became a coach on the television singing competition The Voice UK. The Script reached No. 1 on the UK chart in 2008 with their self-titled album.
- American singer, songwriter and actress Ashlee Simpson, younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, was born in Waco, Texas. She gained major exposure through the MTV series The Ashlee Simpson Show and released her debut album Autobiography in 2004, which debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and, according to available figures, sold more than three million copies.
- A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Athelaston Mayers, was born in Harlem, New York. He was named Rakim after the legendary rapper Rakim of the duo Eric B. & Rakim. In 2007, he joined the rap collective A$AP Mob and adopted the stage name A$AP Rocky. In 2011, he attracted major attention with the song “Peso” and subsequently with his debut mixtape Live. Love. A$AP. His 2012 single “Fuckin' Problems,” featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, became his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 8; it also received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Song. In 2013, he released his debut studio album Long. Live. A$AP, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and, according to the original record, sold more than two million copies.
Deaths
- American folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Woodrow "Woody" Guthrie died on October 3, 1967, at the age of 55 from complications associated with Huntington's disease. He spent approximately the last 13 years of his life in hospitals and, during his final period, was at Creedmoor State Hospital in Queens, New York. He wrote hundreds to thousands of songs, the best known being "This Land Is Your Land," and had a major influence on Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and generations of folk musicians. The 1970s film Bound for Glory is based on his life, and "This Land Is Your Land" is among his most important works.
- Akio Morita, co-founder of Sony, died on October 3, 1999, in Tokyo from pneumonia at the age of 78. Morita founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo with Masaru Ibuka in 1946; the company later became Sony. In 1957, the company introduced a pocket transistor radio, and in 1958 Morita decided to rename the company Sony; the name was derived from the Latin “sonus” (“sound”) and the then-common American expression “sonny.” Morita strongly supported the company's development of new products. In 1979, Sony introduced the portable Walkman player, which fundamentally changed the way people around the world listened to music; by 2010, cumulative Walkman sales had reached approximately 400 million units.
- Benjamin Orr, bassist, singer and co-founder of The Cars, died at his home in Atlanta, Georgia, at the age of 53 from pancreatic cancer. He sang lead vocals on many of the group's best-known hits, including “Just What I Needed,” “Bye Bye Love,” “Drive,” “Let's Go” and “Moving in Stereo.” In 1986, he also had a solo hit with “Stay the Night” from his debut album The Lace. The Cars were voted Best New Artist in a 1978 Rolling Stone readers' poll; their debut album The Cars sold six million copies and spent 139 weeks on the Billboard 200.
- The original guitarist and singer of American psychedelic rock group Iron Butterfly died at the age of 56 from liver cancer. He joined the group in 1966, and its members were able to use his parents' garage as a rehearsal space. After recording the first album Heavy, he left the group a year later; on the album, he sang lead or co-lead vocals on all the songs and was credited as a writer on eight of the ten tracks, including the entire second side.
- American jazz bassist Lloyd Trotman died at the age of 84 from pneumonia. During the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, he accompanied numerous jazz and rock 'n' roll artists, including Sam Cooke, James Brown and The Everly Brothers. His bass can also be heard on Ben E. King's recording of “Stand by Me.”
Other Events
- The Victor Talking Machine Company was founded on October 3, 1901. It was formed by combining the interests of Eldridge R. Johnson and companies associated with Emile Berliner; it was legally incorporated on October 3, 1901, and organized two days later. It later became a major manufacturer of phonographs and gramophone records. In 1929, it was acquired by the Radio Corporation of America, creating the RCA Victor brand, which became a major manufacturer of phonographs and gramophone records for several decades.
- Ten-year-old Elvis Presley made his first public performance at a talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo. His teacher, Mrs. Oleta Grimes, entered him in the contest after hearing him sing at school that morning. Elvis sang Red Foley's “Old Shep” without accompaniment and had to stand on a chair to reach the microphone. The talent contest was broadcast by radio station WELO. Elvis placed fifth and received a prize of $5 worth of tickets for the fair's rides. After the contest, he used the tickets on, among other things, more dangerous rides, despite his mother Gladys advising him against it, and she subsequently punished him.
- Stan Kenton and his orchestra recorded the song “Painted Rhythm.”
- The long-running radio hit The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet, now featuring twelve-year-old Rick Nelson, premiered on CBS-TV. The show continued for another 14 years, bringing its total run to 22 years.
- Elvis performed at G. Rollie White Coliseum in College Station, Texas. It was the beginning of a four-day tour with other performers from Louisiana Hayride: Jimmy & Johnny, Johnny Horton, Betty Amos, David Houston, Willy Birdbrain and Daldon & Lulu. The concert began at 7:30 p.m.
- The Mickey Mouse Club premiered on ABC on October 3, featuring its twelve-year-old star Annette Funicello prominently.
- At the age of 23, Pat Boone began hosting the variety show The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom on ABC-TV. The program featured performers including The Four Lads, Ella Fitzgerald and Johnny Mathis, and its writers included Woody Allen. After three seasons, the show was canceled after losing the ratings battle to Bachelor Father starring John Forsythe on NBC. ABC subsequently replaced it with the sitcom My Three Sons starring Fred MacMurray. The program later appeared in Michael Moore's documentary film Roger & Me. At the time, TV Guide described it unflatteringly as a show “about as exciting as a milkshake with two straws.”
- 1958?lang=en" class="rmh-link">The Biggest Show Of Stars 1958 tour opened at Worcester Auditorium in Worcester, Massachusetts, as the fall continuation of the tour. Performers included Buddy Holly, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin, The Olympics, Dion & The Belmonts, Bobby Freeman, The Elegants, Jimmy Clanton, The Danleers, Duane Eddy, Clyde McPhatter, and The Coasters.
- Ike and Tina Turner made their US television debut, performing “A Fool In Love” on American Bandstand on ABC-TV. It was their first nationwide television appearance; Tina Turner was heavily pregnant at the time. Released in 1960, “A Fool In Love” became their first hit and later reached No. 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the R&B chart.
- Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams became the first people inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- A group of teenagers from Hawthorne, California, calling themselves The Pendletones, recorded the song "Surfin'" on October 3 at World Pacific Studios in Los Angeles. The song was created during their first recording session, and the final master was selected from the recorded takes. When it was released as a single by Candix Records, it was credited to The Beach Boys, the new name given to the group by promotional executive Russ Reagan. "Surfin'" reached No. 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Candix estimated sales of 50,000 copies. The recording launched the career of one of America's most successful rock'n'roll groups.
- The Beatles completed the third of a total of five recording sessions for the song "I Wanna Be Your Man." The song, written by Lennon and McCartney, was originally intended exclusively as a single for The Rolling Stones, but they abandoned that plan. Both bands released the song as a single in November of the same year.
- The Animals' debut album entered the US Billboard album chart and eventually reached No. 7, largely thanks to the song "House Of The Rising Sun." The British version of The Animals album was released a month later, had significantly different content, and reached No. 6 on the UK chart.
- The Beatles filmed a performance for broadcast on the television program Shindig! at the Granville Theatre in London. The album A Hard Day’s Night had already been on the chart for 12 weeks, 11 of them at No. 1. At No. 2 was Something New by The Beatles, followed by Everybody Loves Somebody by Dean Martin and Peter, Paul and Mary in Concert. The Top 10 also included All Summer Long by The Beach Boys, How Glad I Am by Nancy Wilson, Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz and João Gilberto, Funny Girl by Barbra Streisand, Hello, Dolly! by Louis Armstrong, and Keep On Pushing by The Impressions.
- The Supremes' song "Baby Love" entered the music charts.
- Manfred Mann became the first Western band to perform behind the Iron Curtain.
- The Zombies released the song "She's Not There" in the USA.
- James Brown performed two concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall with his 18-piece American band.
- The Beatles recorded the first take of George Harrison's new song "Savoy Truffle" at Trident Studios in London. George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr recorded the basic track in a single take – drums, bass, and lead guitar. John Lennon was not present and did not participate in the recording. The song was inspired by Eric Clapton's love of chocolate, particularly Mackintosh's Good News chocolates. Further overdubs followed on October 5, 11, and 14, and the song appeared on The Beatles album, commonly known as the "White Album."
- Pink Floyd performed at the Debating Hall at Birmingham University in Birmingham, England.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival's album Cosmo’s Factory spent its seventh week at No. 1 on the US album chart on October 3, 1970, out of a total of nine weeks at the top. The Woodstock soundtrack was No. 2, Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen was No. 3, and Chicago II by Chicago was No. 4. Also in the Top 10 were The Band's Stage Fright, Grand Funk Railroad's Closer to Home, The Moody Blues' A Question of Balance, The Who's Tommy, Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 and Neil Young's new release After the Gold Rush.
- “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” reached No. 1 on the R&B chart, where it was in its third week at the top. At No. 2 was “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, No. 3 was “Candida” by Dawn and No. 4 was “Cracklin’ Rosie” by Neil Diamond. Also in the Top 10 were “Julie, Do Ya’ Love Me” by Bobby Sherman, “I’ll Be There” by Jackson 5, “(I Know) I’m Losing You” by Rare Earth, “Snowbird” by Anne Murray, “War” by Edwin Starr and “All Right Now” by Free.
- Janis Joplin listened to the instrumental track of “Buried Alive In The Blues” at Sunset Studios and planned to record the vocals for her album Pearl on October 5. She died the following day.
- Lifetime was formed by Jack Bruce of Cream, John McLaughlin of Miles Davis's group, Larry Young and Tony Williams.
- The Chambers Brothers performed at The Warehouse club in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- Hawkwind performed at the Northcote Arms in Southall, England.
- Led Zeppelin played their second concert of the evening at Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
- Yes performed at the Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- The Who were forced to re-record the song "5:15" for their appearance on Top Of The Pops because of union regulations. At the end of the performance, they expressed their frustration with a destructive display: Pete Townshend smashed the equipment and made a two-finger gesture at the producer, while Keith Moon threw wigs from the prop department into the audience. When the program was broadcast the following evening, these problematic sections had been cut.
- Rush performed at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
- The Who released their album The Who by Numbers in the UK. The album was released on October 3, 1975, by Polydor Records and was issued later in the USA. It reached No. 7 on the UK album chart and No. 8 in the USA. The record featured an interactive-style cover and represented another significant chapter in the band's career.
- The Who began their first British concert tour in two years with a performance at New Bingley Hall in Stafford, supported by The Steve Gibbons Band. Keith's drums were placed on a raised platform for the first time at a concert, which caused him problems hearing the playback. The set consisted of greatest hits as well as a selection of songs from Tommy, which returned to the concert program due to the popularity of the film. "Join Together" and the new song "Squeeze Box" were also performed live for the first time. Quadrophenia was represented by four songs played in a different order from that on the album.
- Marvin Gaye performed the first of several concerts at London's Palladium. The concerts were recorded and later released on the 1977 album Live at the London Palladium.
- The television special Elvis In Concert was broadcast by CBS in the United States during Presley's final concert tour. The program was filmed in June 1977 in Omaha, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota, just weeks before Elvis's death, and was broadcast on October 3, 1977. Footage showing Elvis during the final months of his life shocked many viewers. The special became the most-watched television program of the week, with approximately 24.1 million households watching it. On the day of the broadcast, Myrna Smith initially told Jerry Schilling by phone that Elvis looked good and had lost some weight, but after watching the program she burst into tears and said that everyone had been “wearing blinders.”
- During an Aerosmith concert at the Fort Wayne Coliseum in Indiana, police arrested dozens of fans for possession or smoking of marijuana, underage drinking and other minor offenses. Among those arrested was reportedly Steven Tyler's seamstress, who was caught smoking an ordinary cigarette. Tyler strongly protested the police action from the stage, referring to the officers among other things as “Gestapo” and “scumbags.” After the concert, Aerosmith offered to pay bail for all the arrested fans. Estimates of the total number arrested vary considerably among sources, ranging from around 30 to more than 60; however, as many as 28 arrested fans accepted the band's offer. An Aerosmith accountant subsequently paid approximately $4,200 in bail and fines during separate court proceedings.
- Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band began The River Tour on October 3, 1980, at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in support of their fifth studio album and their only double album, The River. During the concert, Springsteen forgot part of the lyrics while performing “Born to Run” for the opening time. Eleven songs from the forthcoming The River album were performed during the evening. “Thunder Road” was performed twice, and during the second performance Bob Seger joined Springsteen and the E Street Band. It was the first concert of The River Tour.
- British heavy metal band Diamond Head released their debut album Lightning to the Nations. The record later became an important influence on another generation of metal bands and had a major impact on Metallica, whose members eventually covered five of the album's seven songs: “Am I Evil?,” “Helpless,” “The Prince,” “It's Electric” and “Sucking My Love.” Other NWOBHM bands, such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Saxon, surpassed Diamond Head in popularity, but Metallica's cover versions demonstrated their influence and secured their place in music history.
- Paul Simon's semi-biographical film One-Trick Pony, in which he also played the lead role, premiered in US cinemas. The film received mixed reviews and became both a critical and commercial failure, grossing less than $150,000 on a budget of approximately $8 million. The soundtrack was more successful – the title song reached No. 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and “Late in the Evening” climbed as high as No. 6.
- The Police released their third studio album Zenyatta Mondatta. The album reached No. 1 in Australia and the UK and No. 5 on the US Billboard 200, giving the group its first US Top 10 album. It featured the hits "Don't Stand So Close to Me" and "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" and earned the group two Grammy Awards. The album sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.
- Billy Joel released Songs in the Attic, the first live album recorded using digital technology. It contained songs he had recorded before his major breakthrough with “Just The Way You Are.”
- Two months after MTV began broadcasting, “Burnin' For You” by Blue Öyster Cult peaked at No. 40 on the US chart. It was the group's first Top 40 hit since “(Don't Fear) The Reaper.” The song's success was helped by a music video filmed in a drainage channel in Los Angeles. At the time, few American artists were making music videos, allowing established rock bands such as Blue Öyster Cult and REO Speedwagon to gain airtime. Several years later, the situation changed as more visually distinctive artists began making music videos regularly.
- During the premiere episode of the new season of Saturday Night Live, Rod Stewart invited Tina Turner as a special guest to perform his 1978 hit “Hot Legs” together. Stewart also used the nationally televised appearance to promote Turner's solo potential at a time when her career was rebuilding following her divorce.
- The Kinks played their first concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
- The Rolling Stones' album Tattoo You spent its third week at No. 1 on the US album chart on October 3, 1981. Other albums near the top included 4 by Foreigner, Escape by Journey, and Bella Donna by Stevie Nicks. The Top 10 also included Pirates by Rickie Lee Jones, Nine Tonight by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, The Innocent Age by Dan Fogelberg, Precious Time by Pat Benatar, the Endless Love soundtrack, and Breakin’ Away by Al Jarreau.
- The city of Lithonia, Georgia, proclaimed “Brenda Lee Day” in honor of its native daughter Brenda Lee, born Brenda Mae Tarpley, and named a local street Brenda Lee Lane after her. Between 1960 and 1967, Brenda Lee had a total of 29 songs in the Billboard Top 40, including “Sweet Nothin’s,” “I’m Sorry,” “Fool #1” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
- “Lost In Emotion” by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam reached No. 1 on the R&B chart.
- M/A/R/S reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with the double-sided single “Pump Up the Volume” / “Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance).” “Pump Up the Volume” became a major UK house hit and made extensive use of samples from other recordings, which subsequently led to legal disputes.
- Smokey Robinson was at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “One Heartbeat,” while ABC's song “When Smokey Sings,” about him, was at No. 8.
- Keith Richards released his first solo album, Talk Is Cheap. The album was created during a period of tension within the Rolling Stones, and its release was connected with the disagreements between Richards and Mick Jagger at the time.
- Twenty-year-old Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, married her first husband, musician Danny Keough. They had two children together – daughter Riley Keough, born May 29, 1989, and son Benjamin Storm Keough, born October 21, 1992. They divorced on May 6, 1994, after nearly six years of marriage. Even after ending their relationship, they remained close friends and devoted co-parents.
- The owner of E-C Records in Fort Lauderdale, Charles Freeman, was found guilty of obscenity on October 3, 1990, for selling the 2 Live Crew album “As Nasty As They Wanna Be.” He sold the album two days after a federal court ruled that its content was obscene. Freeman had originally been arrested on June 8 after selling the recording to an undercover police officer. He was later fined $1,000, which he was ordered to donate to a local elementary school specializing in arts education. In 1993, the conviction was overturned.
- M.C. Hammer offered a $50,000 reward for the return of Michael Jackson's white glove, which had been stolen from the Motown Museum. The glove was later found and returned. It was part of the rivalry and competition between Hammer and Michael Jackson at the time.
- Texas Governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3 “Stevie Ray Vaughan Day” in honor of the Dallas-born musician. An annual motorcycle ride and concert in Central Texas support the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial Scholarship Fund.
- ABBA reached No. 1 on the UK album chart with the compilation ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits. Released in September 1992, the album contains the group's greatest hits and later became one of the most successful compilation albums in history. According to the record, it sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and also reached No. 1 in ten other countries. The official UK chart confirms the album's first appearance on October 3, 1992, and its peak at No. 1.
- “End Of The Road” by Boyz II Men spent its eighth week at No. 1 on the US singles chart.
- During her appearance on Saturday Night Live, Sinéad O'Connor sang Bob Marley's “War” a cappella, changing part of the lyrics to refer to child abuse. At the end of the performance, she unexpectedly pulled out a photograph of Pope John Paul II, tore it into pieces and said “Fight the real enemy.” It was an unannounced protest against sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. During rehearsal, she had held a photograph of a child and kept her actual intentions secret from the production team. The studio fell completely silent after her gesture and the broadcast went to commercial. The incident generated thousands of complaints, NBC did not invite O'Connor back to the program, and in some later reruns the footage was replaced with the rehearsal recording. The claim that NBC received a $2.5 million fine from the Federal Communications Commission over the incident is not supported by verified sources.
- The home of Jesse Colin Young, frontman of The Youngbloods, was burned to the ground in the Mount Vision wildfires in Point Reyes, California. His song “Ridgetop” is about this very house.
- Van Halen dismissed David Lee Roth for the second time after they had recorded several new songs together for the planned greatest-hits compilation Best Of Volume 1. The band stated that the intention from the beginning had been to record two new songs with Roth for the compilation; however, after his appearance with the band at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 1996, it became clear that a long-term reunion of the original lineup would not happen. Roth announced on October 2 that the reunion would not continue, and Van Halen's statement was released on October 3, 1996.
- Sugar Ray were forced to interrupt their European tour after their singer Mark McGrath injured his leg in Bologna, Italy, during the first concert of the European leg of the tour.
- Irish girl pop group B\*Witched began a two-week run at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Rollercoaster.” Later that year, the song also reached No. 1 in Australia and New Zealand.
- Rock group Marilyn Manson reached No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 album chart with their third studio album Mechanical Animals.
- Tom Jones returned to No. 1 on the UK album chart with Reload after 25 years. At the age of 59, he became the oldest artist to reach the top of the UK album chart with newly recorded material. The album sold more than six million copies worldwide and featured, among others, Robbie Williams, Stereophonics, Barenaked Ladies, The Pretenders, and Mousse T. His collaboration with Mousse T. on the song "Sexbomb" reached No. 3 on the UK singles chart and later appeared in The Simpsons. Jones's age record was later surpassed in 2021 by the album Surrounded by Time, when he was 80.
- Mark David Chapman, the killer of John Lennon, was denied parole for the first time after 20 years in prison. He testified for approximately 50 minutes before the parole board. The board concluded that his release would “deprecate the seriousness of the crime.” Yoko Ono strongly supported his continued imprisonment through letters.
- Paul Simon released You're the One, his tenth studio album, approximately ten years after his previous album The Rhythm of the Saints.
- Keith Urban returned to Australia to receive a special ARIA Award. He received the Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of his sales and success on the US charts.
- Rock band Powderfinger dominated the 15th annual Australian Record Industry Association Awards, winning a total of six awards at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney.
- At a conference on domestic violence, the wife of Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich strongly criticized the way sex was presented to teenagers and said, “If I had the opportunity to shoot Britney Spears, I think I would.” A blogger named Nina commented that violence does not solve domestic violence.
- The film School of Rock was released in cinemas. Jack Black plays a musician who poses as a substitute teacher and forms a band with his students. The film is filled with classic rock and includes songs such as “Highway to Hell,” “Smoke on the Water” and “Immigrant Song.” The latter song was obtained after Jack Black recorded a video literally begging Led Zeppelin for permission to use it. The film is also notable for the acting debut of Miranda Cosgrove.
- The film The Concert For George, documenting the benefit concert and star-studded tribute to recently deceased former Beatles member George Harrison, premiered in US cinemas.
- VH1 held its first Hip-Hop Honors, honoring DJ Hollywood, DJ Kool Herc, KRS-One, Public Enemy, Rock Steady Crew, Run-D.M.C., Tupac, and The Sugarhill Gang. Public Enemy also performed at the ceremony.
- Fiona Apple released her third album, Extraordinary Machine, her first album since 1999's When The Pawn.... The album had been completed and ready for release as early as 2003, but Apple changed her mind and postponed its release. After a leaked version appeared online in 2005, she re-recorded the songs and eventually released the album.
- British alternative rock group Muse and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke were the major winners at the fifth annual BT Digital Music Awards in London. Each received two awards.
- The Rolling Stones set a new record for the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. Their A Bigger Bang Tour, which ran from autumn 2005 through August 26, 2007, grossed $558,255,524 and sold 4.68 million tickets. It surpassed the previous record held by U2's Vertigo Tour, which grossed approximately $389 million.
- Madonna's album Celebration, her third greatest-hits compilation, was at No. 1 on the UK album chart on this day. The album was successful worldwide, reaching No. 1 on the charts in twelve countries and selling more than four million copies.
- According to scientific research, Queen's “We Are The Champions” was identified as the catchiest song ever written. The research was led by Dr. Alisun Pawley of the University of York and music psychologist Dr. Daniel Müllensiefen of Goldsmiths University in London. Researchers observed thousands of volunteers singing selected songs and examined what makes a song easy to sing and remember. They identified four main elements: long and detailed melodic phrases, more pitch changes in the main motif, a male vocal and a strong vocal delivery by a male voice in higher registers. The list of the ten catchiest songs also included “Y.M.C.A.” by Village People, “Fat Lip” by Sum 41 and “The Final Countdown” by Europe.
- Michael Jackson's family lost a negligence lawsuit against concert promoters AEG Live in connection with the singer's death. The jury concluded that the doctor responsible for Jackson's care before his concert tour was not unfit for the job, and therefore AEG had not been negligent in hiring him. Jackson died in 2009 after an overdose of a surgical anesthetic.
- Fleetwood Mac's album Rumours received Double Diamond certification from the RIAA 37 years after its release for sales of more than 20 million copies in the US. It became only the ninth album to achieve this distinction.
- A perfectly preserved copy of The Beatles' debut album Please Please Me, signed by George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr, was sold at an auction in the USA for $36,655.
- Former teen idol David Cassidy was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and driving with an expired registration following a September crash in Florida. Police said that 65-year-old Cassidy sideswiped a truck, attempted to conceal his license plate and drove away with a flat tire. His lawyer said Cassidy had handed his driver's license and registration to police before leaving. In March 2016, Cassidy accepted a no-contest plea agreement and received two years of probation.
- The Weeknd replaced his previous hit "Can’t Feel My Face" at the top of the US chart when "The Hills" began a six-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Nickelodeon premiered the animated series Kuu Kuu Harajuku, produced by Gwen Stefani. The series follows a group of girls who make music and fight evil. Stefani introduced her “Harajuku Girls,” inspired by Tokyo's Harajuku district, on her solo debut Love. Angel. Music. Baby. and later incorporated her fascination with the culture into clothing and perfume collections.
- Liam Gallagher reached No. 1 on the UK album chart with his second solo studio album Why Me? Why Not. The album's first single, “Shockwave,” became one of his biggest solo hits and the best-selling vinyl single of 2019 in the UK.
- The British postal service Royal Mail announced the release of a special series of twelve stamps commemorating The Who's 60th anniversary. Eight stamps featured their iconic albums: My Generation (1965), Tommy (1969), Who's Next (1971), Quadrophenia (1973), Who Are You (1978), Face Dances (1981), Endless Wire (2006), and WHO (2019). Other stamps depicted the band and their live performances. The Who thus became the seventh musical act to receive their own Royal Mail stamp series, following The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, and the Spice Girls.
- Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to a little over four years in prison after being found guilty of offenses related to prostitution involving two of his former partners. His lawyers sought a 14-month sentence, arguing that he had changed during his 13 months in a New York jail, while prosecutors sought 11 years, citing his history of domestic violence. Before being sentenced to 50 months, Combs addressed the court in what was his first public statement since the beginning of the trial.
- Taylor Swift promoted her latest album The Life Of A Showgirl with an exceptionally extensive marketing campaign that encouraged fans to discover musical clues hidden behind orange doors in 12 cities around the world.